Briefings and responses

Adult social care is a vital service, supporting people’s independence and wellbeing. It strengthens our communities, helps sustain our NHS and adds essential economic value to our country. We estimate that, since 2010, councils have had to bridge a £6 billion funding shortfall just to keep the adult social care system going.

This joint briefing note for clinical commissioning groups (CCG), local authority learning disability commissioners and Directors of Housing has been prepared by NHS England and NHS Improvement, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care (ADASS).

The new Government has been announced by Prime Minister, with personnel appointed to key departments such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, HM Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Department for Education.

Investment in flooding and coastal erosion relies heavily on public sector contributions. Councils are keen to play a part in securing wider contributions, but complex and time consuming processes make this difficult to achieve in practice.

Councils recognise they have an important role to play in tackling domestic abuse, alongside partners in health, education, housing, the police and wider services.

DEFRA’s National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy sets out a variety of different measures to be delivered across risk management authorities, including Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs), district councils and highways authorities.

Councils provide a wide range of youth services. As local authority budgets have reduced and demand for services has increased, councils have had to make difficult decisions about how to use increasingly limited resources on youth services.

Our latest analysis demonstrates that homelessness support (including temporary accommodation) faces a funding gap of £110 million in 2019/20, and £421 million in 2024/25. There are currently 83,700 homeless households in need of temporary accommodation and other forms of support from local authorities.

This briefing is to update you on the development of Primary care networks (PCNs) which were established on 1 July and to provide advice on the contribution of local government to this important change to the health and care landscape.

Councils are supporting children and young people with high quality mental health support. Children’s services see more than 500 cases a day of children presenting with a mental health problem.